About Us

Our Mission

The Heart of New Ulm (HONU) aims to improve the health, well-being and quality of life of all New Ulm-area residents through education, available resources, initiatives and partnerships that empower people of all ages to take responsibility for their own health in a supportive environment.

Red Bike Rack
Group of Kids Participating in Bicycle Training

Helping People in New Ulm, MN Improve Their Health

Since 2009, the Heart of New Ulm (HONU) has been helping people in New Ulm, Minn., improve their health. The project began as a 10-year population health research project that was a collaborative partnership of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation (MHIF), Allina Health and the New Ulm community designed to help residents reduce their risk for heart disease. It offered a unique environment for studying how various interventions, systems and environmental improvements, along with policy changes, can impact the health of an entire community.

A Community-Owned Health Initiative

Today, the Heart of New Ulm continues as a community-owned health initiative being sustained through community partnership and funding. It is focused on three significant, complex and interrelated health issues, where progress in one area can support improvements in the rest:

  • Food Environment

    Healthy Lifestyles Across the Lifespan

    Our goal is to support educational programs, activities and policies that help individuals increase access to and support for physical activity and healthful foods.

  • Mental Health

    Mental Health

    Our goal is to reduce the burden of mental health by reducing stigma, improving early identification, and offering resiliency programming focused on mental health conditions.

  • Alcohol Icon

    Addiction & Substance Use

    Our goal is to support educational programs, activities and policies that increase awareness of addiction and misuse of legal substances, and also address the use of illegal substances.

Health Equity Goal

Our goal is to increase awareness of health equity in New Ulm and work to impact the decision making process within government and organizations to decrease the impact of the inequities that occur in New Ulm.

Health Inequities

View our fact sheet designed to bring attention to some of the health inequities that exist in our community to help decision makers be better informed during the decision making process.

Neighborhood Feedback

Over the summer of 2016, the Heart of New Ulm, along with several community organizations, co-hosted a series of gatherings in New Ulm neighborhoods to better understand how we can help people in the neighborhoods improve their health and well-being; the fact sheet provides an overview of the neighborhood survey results.

10 Years of Research

For more information on the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation’s 10-year research phase (2009 – 2018) of The Heart of New Ulm Project, visit their webpage.

Want to Make a Difference?

Send us a message and we'll help you connect to an initiative that interests you!

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